Welcome to the world of BBQ!

Or, as some might say, welcome to the low-and-slow addiction.

Barbecue, a.k.a BBQ, is the only recognized year-round sport. From backyards to competitions with $50,000 in prize money at stake, many people share a passion for cooking with live fire. For a lot of people, BBQ is not just about great food. It is about the afternoon sun shining in the backyard, the pleasant aroma of burning hickory wood permeating the air, playing catch or croquet with the kids while keeping an eye on the smoker thermometer. It’s about a human physically controlling live fire, which in and of itself is fascinating enough. However, you can’t have a BBQ without cooking something, so ultimately you come to the food. And the challenge. The challenge of making the fire do what you need it to do to produce some of the best meals you could possibly eat. The challenge of turning out tender, juicy chicken thighs with “bite-through” skin that doesn’t flap down over your chin when you take a bite, or that quarter-inch slice of brisket that is fork tender and juicy, but yet holds a slice without falling apart, ribs that are oh-so-succulent, pulling cleanly off the bone, yet just firm enough to not be mushy. It’s about that challenge of creating a beautiful smoke ring…that pink band of color around the outside of a piece of smoked meat that looks so cool and starts the tummy to growling. And the bark…that almost black, almost burnt-looking layer of spices and seasonings, meat juices, and smoke that have congealed together on the surface of the meat, forming a crust that makes your Boston butt or brisket look like shriveled up shoe leather, but when sliced open you find tender, tasty, smoky meat that makes it worth all the trouble. Yep, that bark is half gone by the time it gets from the smoker to the kitchen, crunched into oblivion by the BBQ cook who is “just checking” to make sure it’s right. Yeah, buddy!!! That’s what I’m talkin’ about, right there!

This all doesn’t just happen overnight. Just like learning to play baseball, or ride a bike, learning to BBQ well takes a lot of trial and error, a few disasters, and a few emergency microwave corn dog backup Plan B’s, but mostly you will come to the table with a huge smile on your face, amazed at what you actually accomplished, out there on the patio.

The term “UDS” is an acronym for Ugly Drum Smoker or Upright Drum Smoker. The UDS is one of the most versatile, easy-to-use pieces of BBQ equipment out there. Many competition cooks rely heavily on a UDS or two to round out their cooker arsenal. However, most drum smokers are, well, ugly, not to mention crude. They work well, though, which is why I formed the opinion that a drum smoker should be a thing of beauty that would last a lifetime. On this idea the first Ultimate Drum Smoker was built. The redefinition of the UDS.

Whether you are looking for a cool themed smoker that reflects your hobbies, interests, or livelihood, or if you are just looking for a good, solid smoker that is miles ahead of the cheap soda-can-strength models on the box store shelves, the Ultimate Drum Smoker will certainly fit your needs.

Contact me for more information on the Ultimate Drum Smoker.